Why the high price on .410 and 28 gauge Parker shotguns?

[Stan Hillis]

Originally Posted by Anfrew Sacco

A .410 is a fun gun but they surely don't pattern well

As someone who has used .410 S X S guns hunting since 1959 I will disagree with the above statement. The .410 patterns just as "well" as any other gauge/bore shotgun. What they do not have, regarding patterns, is as high a pattern density.

I have successfully hunted with .410s for most of my life, but in my later years truly came to understand that they can be made to be highly effective at game bird hunting by the use of heavier payloads and tighter chokes. Pattern density is what kills birds with a .410. Tighter choke is what delivers density.

Sure, the smaller the pattern the better wing shot one has to be to put that pattern on target. But, that has nothing to do with "not patterning well", and everything to do with shooting ability.

Range must be limited with a .410 as well to be successful. Again, that has nothing to do with "not patterning well" , but everything to do with pattern density. When you are dealing with 3/4 oz. or less payloads you just cannot maintain sufficient pattern density at longer ranges.

Armchair experts will be quick to point out that long-for-bore payloads won't pattern well, and that short-for-bore payloads will pattern better. That is a belief that I have totally shot down, to pardon the pun, by developing a .410, 3/4 oz. load of nickel plated 8s that pattern beautifully. The only way you would know it wasn't a bigger bore pattern is by counting the total number of pellet strikes. The evenness of the distribution is fully equal to any 12 bore pattern I've ever seen. And, it kills way better than any other .410 load I have ever used.

Before I developed that handload I used WW 3/4 oz. factory loads very successfully. But, I'm just a tinkerer who's always trying to think of a way to improve something.

[Bill Murphy]

I have had excellent results on clay targets and birds with the .410. Now that I have started to load 3" .410s, I expect to have even more fun, especially on difficult 5 stand and sporting targets. Thanks to Stan for providing me with 3" hulls for me to load.

[Alfred Houde]

The 28 gauge is an absolute joy to shoot and hunt with. I'm happy with my Grulla 216 and Browning Citori. While it would be wonderful to own a Parker Gun in 28 gauge, I cannot justify the cost for one. Just me.

I have owned a few .410 shotguns over the years. I like them, but they are not for me as a bird gun. I know folks use them for grouse and such, but my personal experience was too many wounded birds rather than clean kills. I use them for introducing pups to shotgun fire after a few blank rounds.

[Dean Romig]

A 28 gauge Parker DHE was WHF’s favorite Skeet gun… and his favorite grouse gun as well.





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[Andy]

If you look at NSSA averages for a AAA shooter the 12-20-28 are all .25% apart, the .410 is 2% lower (this is for classification not the scores). I take that to mean that over a long time with shooters of similar ability the .410 is 2% less effective but still shooting 96.5%. For the average bird hunter/recreational shooter I'm not sure that translates at all.

[Mike of the Mountain]

I'd love to have a VH Parker in both .410 and 28. BUT, no way I'm dumping that kind of scratch into a shotgun. If I have that kind of disposable cash it'll buy something that with one pull of the trigger can do a mag dump. To each his own.

[Researcher]

One of the reasons for slow sales of the .410-bore Parker during the early years was the available ammunition. From the introduction of the .410-bore shell in North America circa 1914 it was offered in two loadings, 3/10-ounce in a 2-inch shell and 3/8-ounce in a 2 1/2-inch shell. Things picked up for the .410-bore in 1933, at the depth of The Great Depression, with the introduction of the 3-inch shell doubling the max load to 3/4-ounce, along with the Winchester Model 42. A few years later the 2 1/2-inch shell got upped to the 1/2-ounce load we all know.

Similarly, the 28-guage loads were 5/8-ounce for many years. Finally, in 1931 the ammo companies got around to introducing a progressive burning smokeless powder, high velocity load to the 28-gauge with 3/4-ounce of shot. Chas. Askins mentions in his 1910 book of loading 2 1/8 drams of bulk smokeless and 3/4-ounce of shot in the 2 7/8-inch 28-gauge shell for his heavy 30-inch barrel Parker Bros. but the ammo companies didn't offer anything heavier than 2 drams pushing 5/8-ounce.

[Double Lab]

Turns out what goes around comes around. The old 5/8oz load is a dandy if you handload.

[Victor Wasylyna]

After today's G&D auction, I think it is safe to say that prices for Parker 28s and 410s are still strong. The 410s blew past high estimates.

-Victor

[Bob Jurewicz]

Here is a reasonable one we all could have bought.
Bob Jurewicz
https://bid.guyetteanddeeter.com/lot...-skeet-shotgun